Kale Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Treat yourself to this delicious Kale Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes … it’s packed with flavor and healthy ingredients, and it’s so easy to make!

I’ve been craving salads lately … that and this Potato Soup (ha ha). Life is a balance!

In all seriousness though, I do love a salad. As long as it is a substantial salad that will actually keep me full. There’s nothing worse than eating a big, delicious salad, then getting hungry again an hour later, right?

Which is why I love this Kale Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

This Kale and Quinoa Salad recipe is packed with so much flavor. And between the protein-packed quinoa, hearty kale, and delicious roasted sweet potatoes, it’s sure keep you full until your next meal!

Kale Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This yummy salad is such a treat for quinoa and kale lovers, and if you’re reading right now, I’m assuming that is you!

I was actually inspired to make this salad after trying the Green Jean Salad at Vessel Kitchen in Kimball Junction, Utah. If you’re ever in Kimball Junction or nearby Park City, you need to stop in … everything I’ve had there is so good.

My version of the Green Jean is a simplified version of Vessel Kitchen’s: a Kale and Quinoa Salad mixed with a super tasty miso dressing and topped with roasted sweet potato chunks. The finishing touch is a rich Tahini Dressing drizzled over the top. It’s so easy to make and so delicious!

This tasty vegan salad makes a wonderful fall meal (although I’d serve it anytime of year), and it’s even good-looking enough to serve for a special occasion, like Thanksgiving.

How to Make Kale and Quinoa Salad

Although it has a number of components, this Kale Quinoa Salad is easy to make. Don’t let the somewhat long ingredient list put you off … I promise you can do this!

The key to success with this recipe is to stay organized and to prepare things in a certain order. Here’s what you’re going to do in a nutshell:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

You’ll start by roasting the sweet potatoes. Cut your potatoes into 1-inch cubes, then mix them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast the potatoes until they’re tender and browned in spots … it should take about half an hour, and you’ll want to flip them midway through.

Quinoa

Once you’ve popped your potatoes in the oven, you’ll work on the quinoa. Simply combine the quinoa with water and a little salt, then bring the water it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cook the quinoa for 15 minutes or until tender.

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover quinoa, by the way. You’d need to substitute two cups cooked quinoa.

Kale with Miso Dressing

This recipe has two dressings, which I know sounds a little over-the-top, but trust me on this one! Both are super simple to make and so delish.

Are you familiar with miso? It’s a salty, savory fermented soybean paste that’s full of umami flavors. You’ve probably had miso soup if you’ve ever eaten in a Japanese restaurant. Miso comes in a few varieties (red, yellow, and white are most common), and you can use any kind in this recipe.

For this Kale Quinoa Salad recipe, you’re going to mix the miso with a few other ingredients (like ginger, garlic, sesame oil, maple syrup, etc.) to create a perfectly balanced salad dressing (it’s so good!). Then, you’ll massage this dressing into the kale. Get your hands in the bowl and go to town … it’s a little weird, but it works!

When the quinoa is ready, let it cool slightly, then mix that in, too. (By the way, this salad can be served warm or at room temperature.)

Tahini Dressing

The tahini dressing is also quite easy to prepare. Simply whisk together tahini (use the leftovers to make hummus!), lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, and a touch of salt.

This dressing take approximately two minutes to make, but if you want to save yourself a little time, you could skip it. It really is the perfect finishing touch though, so consider wisely!

Finishing the Salad

Okay, you’ve made all the components … it’s time to assemble your beautiful salad!

Place the quinoa and kale mixture in a large bowl or on a platter. Top with the roasted sweet potatoes, then drizzle with your tahini dressing. And that’s it … time to eat!

Don’t you just want to dig into this Kale Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes right now? You know you do, so grab the recipe below and get cooking!